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Impressions of Spider-Man

What more can be said about this game that isn’t already being said?

Being a fan of Spider-Man ever since I was five and allowed to have money, every source of media entertainment that has Spider-Man in the title usually takes my money. I have seen all of the movies, played all the games, and read just about any comic that I could get my hands on. So, when I say that this is by far, the best Spider-Man game that I have ever played and seen, that should say something.

Story

One of the best things that this game tackles is the complex and often heavy story. So much of the Spider-Man lore is driven around the tough choices and consequences surrounding Peter and his role of Spider-Man. Though he has some huge issues battling the difficult and often impossible line between a normal life and the life of a crime fighting hero, he often has a way of fighting through the challenges and obstacles with humor and a positive outlook. Many of the quips and humor that you know and love is sprinkled in the game, but it never feels unnecessary, rather it’s a way to break the ice after something pretty intense and engaging. (Unlike the new Thor movie, which was trying way to freaking hard to be a comedy when it had no business doing so).

The story feels like a 6 book ark and less like a movie. You will travel with Spider-Man through all the highs and lows that a comic would give you. One minute you’re learning the hard lessons of being an awkward person around the love of your life, and the next minute you will be fighting for your life as a helicopter full of bad guys try to end your endless pursuit to foil their plans.

I spent hours swinging through the city in order to find all of the backpacks which contained cool little history lessons in the form of trinkets from Peter’s past. None of this felt like a chore, as the swinging was just so damn good. Insomniac really nailed traversal and though they gave you the option to fast travel, I never felt the need to do so.

There is so much that I would love to talk about the story, however, I feel as though saying anything about it can delude what insomniac is trying to accomplish. With that being said…its really freaking good.

Combat

There can’t be a superhero game without some action pact combat. Wouldn’t be much of a game if everyone could be reasoned with and have their plans thwarted by a history lesson or a spirited debate. With that being said, they nailed what I wanted in a combat system by doing something that everyone was begging for for the past few years…make an Arkham style game with Spider-Man.

The combat is fast paced and fluid with the added bonus of a somewhat complex combination of attacks that can lead to some pretty satisfying action sequences. I had some issues in the beginning of the game as I was trying out different combinations, but once I found my groove, I was unstoppable.

Visuals

This game is beautiful from start to finish. It’s rare that you can actually find a game that is so polished right out if the gate, and this one stands taller then the rest of them. The city is vibrant and alive. You really feel as though each person has their own task and story that you just don’t have time to discover.

There were only a few times where I found the world to be a little buggy, but this was also during marathon play sessions and I guess you can’t expect the game to be running at its peak for six hours at a time. After turning off my system so that I can get some much needed exercise, the game ran like new and I wouldn’t experience any hiccups until my six hour timer was up.

Final Thoughts

This game is a masterpiece in my opinion. I love how the game makes you care about all the characters in a way that none of the other games were able to do. I felt like I could spend days just swinging around the city and get better at the combat.

It has been a long time since I had a game that I didnt mind sitting for 6 to 10 hours at a time playing, and I was truly sad when the experience was over. This will be a game that will remain in my yearly rotation for a long….long time.